Brilliant and engagingly written,
Why Nations Fail answers the question that has stumped the experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine?

Acemoglu's theory and explanation of the differences in global prosperity are as enlightening as they are entertaining. He manages to make the puzzling concept dead simple to understand because the book, rather than a lengthy lecture explaining the theory, is a series of examples supporting it. After the first chapter, you will fundamentally understand the concept and theory behind this book, and each subsequent chapter will support the theory in fascinating ways.

3 out of 5 stars

Decent summary, still somewhat interesting

By
david
on
11-08-17

The Enigma of Reason

By:
Hugo Mercier,
Dan Sperber

Narrated by:
Liam Gerrard

Length: 14 hrs and 56 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
42

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
37

Story

4 out of 5 stars
35

Reason, we are told, is what makes us human, the source of our knowledge and wisdom. If reason is so useful, why didn't it also evolve in other animals? If reason is that reliable, why do we produce so much thoroughly reasoned nonsense? In their groundbreaking account of the evolution and workings of reason, Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber set out to solve this double enigma.

5 out of 5 stars

reason is flawed but purposefully so

By
Log Jammin
on
12-11-17

The Art of Thinking in Systems: Improve Your Logic, Think More Critically, and Use Proven Systems to Solve Your Problems - Strategic Planning for Everyday Life

By:
Steven Schuster

Narrated by:
Lewis Hutton

Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins

Unabridged

Overall

3.5 out of 5 stars
42

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
37

Story

3.5 out of 5 stars
37

Would you like to have better solutions to your problems? Struggling to understand why things went wrong when you did everything right? The Art of Thinking in Systems can help you with these problems. You think systems thinking is for politicians, and powerful CEO's? Let me tell you this: a small business is a system, your class at school is a system, your family is a system. You are the element of larger systems - your town, your country, the world. These systems have a different dynamic. The more you know about their nature, the more optimal solutions you'll find to problems.

5 out of 5 stars

Pobody is nerfect...

By
Dorthea
on
04-16-18

Summary of Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty | Includes Analysis

By:
Instaread

Narrated by:
Dwight Equitz

Length: 27 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
15

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
11

Story

4 out of 5 stars
10

Thomas Piketty's
Capital in the Twenty-First Century is a study of inequity, both historically and in the present. The book describes how the concentration of wealth has changed over time. Its central thesis is that return on capital is greater than growth over time, which means that capital and inequality inevitably increase. The book also considers the ways governments might address the increasing concentration of wealth in the future.

5 out of 5 stars

I'm a sucker for synopsis

By
Alfredo
on
03-12-17

Summary of Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths

By:
Instaread

Narrated by:
Sam Scholl

Length: 28 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
16

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
14

Story

3.5 out of 5 stars
13

Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths is an immersive look at the history and development of several algorithms used to solve computer science problems. It also considers potential applications of algorithms in human life including memory storage and network communication.

5 out of 5 stars

The best 'summary' book I have heard

By
Philo
on
04-27-17

Why Nations Fail

The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty

By:
Daron Acemoglu,
James Robinson

Narrated by:
Dan Woren

Length: 17 hrs and 55 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,906

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,617

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,617

Brilliant and engagingly written,
Why Nations Fail answers the question that has stumped the experts for centuries: Why are some nations rich and others poor, divided by wealth and poverty, health and sickness, food and famine?

Acemoglu's theory and explanation of the differences in global prosperity are as enlightening as they are entertaining. He manages to make the puzzling concept dead simple to understand because the book, rather than a lengthy lecture explaining the theory, is a series of examples supporting it. After the first chapter, you will fundamentally understand the concept and theory behind this book, and each subsequent chapter will support the theory in fascinating ways.

3 out of 5 stars

Decent summary, still somewhat interesting

By
david
on
11-08-17

The Enigma of Reason

By:
Hugo Mercier,
Dan Sperber

Narrated by:
Liam Gerrard

Length: 14 hrs and 56 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
42

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
37

Story

4 out of 5 stars
35

Reason, we are told, is what makes us human, the source of our knowledge and wisdom. If reason is so useful, why didn't it also evolve in other animals? If reason is that reliable, why do we produce so much thoroughly reasoned nonsense? In their groundbreaking account of the evolution and workings of reason, Hugo Mercier and Dan Sperber set out to solve this double enigma.

5 out of 5 stars

reason is flawed but purposefully so

By
Log Jammin
on
12-11-17

The Art of Thinking in Systems: Improve Your Logic, Think More Critically, and Use Proven Systems to Solve Your Problems - Strategic Planning for Everyday Life

By:
Steven Schuster

Narrated by:
Lewis Hutton

Length: 2 hrs and 3 mins

Unabridged

Overall

3.5 out of 5 stars
42

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
37

Story

3.5 out of 5 stars
37

Would you like to have better solutions to your problems? Struggling to understand why things went wrong when you did everything right? The Art of Thinking in Systems can help you with these problems. You think systems thinking is for politicians, and powerful CEO's? Let me tell you this: a small business is a system, your class at school is a system, your family is a system. You are the element of larger systems - your town, your country, the world. These systems have a different dynamic. The more you know about their nature, the more optimal solutions you'll find to problems.

5 out of 5 stars

Pobody is nerfect...

By
Dorthea
on
04-16-18

Summary of Capital in the Twenty-First Century by Thomas Piketty | Includes Analysis

By:
Instaread

Narrated by:
Dwight Equitz

Length: 27 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
15

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
11

Story

4 out of 5 stars
10

Thomas Piketty's
Capital in the Twenty-First Century is a study of inequity, both historically and in the present. The book describes how the concentration of wealth has changed over time. Its central thesis is that return on capital is greater than growth over time, which means that capital and inequality inevitably increase. The book also considers the ways governments might address the increasing concentration of wealth in the future.

5 out of 5 stars

I'm a sucker for synopsis

By
Alfredo
on
03-12-17

Summary of Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths

By:
Instaread

Narrated by:
Sam Scholl

Length: 28 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
16

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
14

Story

3.5 out of 5 stars
13

Algorithms to Live By by Brian Christian and Tom Griffiths is an immersive look at the history and development of several algorithms used to solve computer science problems. It also considers potential applications of algorithms in human life including memory storage and network communication.

5 out of 5 stars

The best 'summary' book I have heard

By
Philo
on
04-27-17

Summary of How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie | Includes Analysis

By:
Instaread

Narrated by:
Dwight Equitz

Length: 25 mins

Unabridged

Overall

3.5 out of 5 stars
4

Performance

3 out of 5 stars
4

Story

3 out of 5 stars
4

This is key takeaways and analysis of the book and not the original book. There are three fundamental techniques to improve your ability to manage others. The first is to avoid any kind of criticism, complaint, or other type of negative tactic. Negativity only puts people on the defensive. The second technique is to frequently give earnest appreciation and praise. The third is to find a way to encourage others to want what you want.

Living according to the seven habits requires paradigm shifts that allow an individual to become flexible enough to change. One is the shift in associations when considering independence and interdependence. Independence, which is more valued by contemporary personality-driven trends, can cause problematic isolation and stifle cooperation. Interdependence describes a healthier approach that enables teamwork.

Summary of The 48 Laws of Power: by Robert Greene | Includes Analysis

By:
Instaread

Narrated by:
Michael Gilboe

Length: 31 mins

Unabridged

Overall

3.5 out of 5 stars
76

Performance

3.5 out of 5 stars
65

Story

3.5 out of 5 stars
65

Power depends on the relationships between a person and those he or she seeks to control. Powerful people must cultivate their appearances to earn respect and eliminate doubt. They must practice selective honesty, misdirection, and an excess of secrecy to gain a tactical advantage. Timing is central to maintaining power, as is the ability to adapt. The array of strategies available when seeking power include mirroring the opponent’s actions and controlling the opponent's options for action.

2 out of 5 stars

Save your $3.95....read the original.

By
Marvin
on
03-23-16

Payoff

The Hidden Logic That Shapes Our Motivations

By:
Dan Ariely

Narrated by:
Simon Jones

Length: 2 hrs and 37 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
700

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
606

Story

4 out of 5 stars
598

Every day we work hard to motivate ourselves, the people we live with, the people who work for and do business with us. In this way much of what we do can be defined as being motivators. From the boardroom to the living room, our role as motivators is complex, and the more we try to motivate partners and children, friends and coworkers, the clearer it becomes that the story of motivation is far more intricate and fascinating than we've assumed.

4 out of 5 stars

Love Ariely, but rehash of old stories

By
Scott
on
12-16-16

Summary of The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss - Includes Analysis

By:
Instaread Summaries

Narrated by:
Sam Scholl

Length: 20 mins

Unabridged

Overall

3.5 out of 5 stars
35

Performance

3.5 out of 5 stars
31

Story

3.5 out of 5 stars
30

Please note: This is key takeaways and analysis of the book and
not the original book.
The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich is a manifesto calling for workers everywhere to rise up and flee their cubicles in pursuit of a life guided by their passions and not their paychecks. It offers a practical, step-by-step guide that can be followed by people who are not independently wealthy but who don't want to be slaves to their jobs until retirement.

Platforms connect two types of users in order to exchange something of value. This is different from the traditional pipeline model of business where something of value is created by transferring it from producer to producer with the consumer receiving it at the last step. Platforms are dominating production processes particularly because they reduce the costs of value creation, consumption, and quality control.

Frankl and his family were imprisoned in concentration camps during the war. Frankl was held in several camps before he was liberated from the last in 1945. During his time in the camps, Frankl witnessed the extreme cruelty of camp guards and the prisoners who were given special status by them, also known as Capos. He also witnessed the cruelty of the prisoners to each other as they underwent the three stages of reaction to their imprisonment.

4 out of 5 stars

Summary is a good overview

By
C Dylan Milks
on
10-11-17

Where Good Ideas Come From

The Natural History of Innovation

By:
Steven Johnson

Narrated by:
Eric Singer

Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
772

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
525

Story

4 out of 5 stars
520

What sparks the flash of brilliance? How does groundbreaking innovation happen? Answering in his infectious, culturally omnivorous style, using his fluency in fields from neurobiology to popular culture, Johnson provides the complete, exciting, and encouraging story of how we generate the ideas that push our careers, our lives, our society, and our culture forward.

4 out of 5 stars

Ambitious

By
Roy
on
12-08-10

Sapiens

A Brief History of Humankind

By:
Yuval Noah Harari

Narrated by:
Derek Perkins

Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
6,973

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
6,187

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
6,138

Most books about the history of humanity pursue either a historical or a biological approach, but Dr. Yuval Noah Harari breaks the mold with this highly original book. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires,
Sapiens integrates history and science to reconsider accepted narratives, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and examine specific events within the context of larger ideas.

5 out of 5 stars

Life changing

By
Sam A. Havens
on
09-09-17

Summary of Hillbilly Elegy by J. D. Vance

Includes Analysis

By:
Instaread

Narrated by:
Dwight Equitz

Length: 26 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
28

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
25

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
24

Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J. D. Vance is an account of the struggles of white working-class Americans in the post-industrial United States. The author offers a message of hope by telling the story of how he went from growing up poor in Ohio's Rust Belt to graduating from Yale Law School.

The Rational Optimist

How Prosperity Evolves

By:
Matt Ridley

Narrated by:
L. J. Ganser

Length: 13 hrs and 38 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,128

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
872

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
877

Life is getting better at an accelerating rate. Food availability, income, and life span are up; disease, child mortality, and violence are down all across the globe. Though the world is far from perfect, necessities and luxuries alike are getting cheaper; population growth is slowing; Africa is following Asia out of poverty; the Internet, the mobile phone, and container shipping are enriching people's lives as never before.

4 out of 5 stars

Delightful Case for Things Looking Up

By
Darkcoffee
on
06-09-10

World Order

By:
Henry Kissinger

Narrated by:
Nicholas Hormann

Length: 14 hrs and 13 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
828

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
721

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
717

Henry Kissinger has traveled the world, advised presidents, and been a close observer and participant in the central foreign policy events of our era. Now he offers his analysis of the twenty first century's ultimate challenge: how to build a shared international order in a world of divergent historic perspectives, violent conflict, proliferating technology, and ideological extremism.

4 out of 5 stars

More retrospective than future oriented

By
Scott
on
10-23-14

Publisher's Summary

Why Nations Fail: The Origins of Power, Prosperity, and Poverty is an examination of the causes of economic inequality. Authors Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson conclude that underdevelopment is caused by political institutions and not by geography, climate, or other cultural factors. Elites in underdeveloped countries deliberately plunder their people and keep them impoverished.

The city of Nogales is half in Mexico and half in the United States. People in Nogales on the US side of the border are well-educated, prosperous, and have long life expectancies. Those on the Mexican side are poor, poorly educated, and have shorter life expectancies.

The differences in Nogales can't be explained by geography or culture. Instead, different governments cause the differences in development. The United States historically established pluralist institutions that encouraged technological innovation and spread wealth throughout the population.

Please note: This is key takeaways and analysis of the book and not the original book.